MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #33): So much good content airing just now our Filthy Noonas’ hearts are fit to burst like squashed frogs on a country road

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the K-curious. Most of our viewing is drawn from Netflix and Viki, with a sprinkling of AmazonPrime, AppleTV and Disney+. There are also platforms streaming content illegally if you go looking. We don’t promote them as they are peppered with pop-ups of “Olga” and friends offering a good time, but we can point you in the right direction. We also dip into Japanese, Taiwanese & Chinese drama as & when.

The previous thread is here but our list is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads.

Shows marked with a star are more uniformly loved or admired. In categorising series, its important to note most Korean dramas have multiple strands - e.g. supernatural, romance and a thriller; crime series with fantasy elements. Genre-busting mash-ups are normal. Series that are tagged as dark may also have moments of comedy or the absurd, likewise fluff can have heavier moments. Writer/actor Simon Pegg referred to it fondly as “tonal chaos” - it’s part of kdrama’s charm. View the categories below as best approximate & ask if you need guidance about suitability for younger viewers.

Comedy (with a side order of absurd)
I picked up a celebrity on the street (Viki)
My Fellow Citizens (Viki/Netflix)
The Fiery Priest (Netflix)

Crime/Thriller

Come and Hug Me (Dramafast)
Graceful Family (Viki)
Healer (Netflix)⭐️
Heartless City (Viki)
He is Psychometric (Viki)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)
Life on Mars (classy remake of BBC series, no major site yet)
My Name (Netflix)
My Secret Terrius (Netflix)⭐️
Signal (Netflix)⭐️
Snowdrop (Disney+)
Stranger - 2 seasons (Netflix)
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)⭐️
The Lies Within (Netflix)⭐️
Tunnel (Netflix)⭐️

Historical/Period drama (“sageuk”)
100 Days My Prince (Viki/Netflix)
Crowned Clown (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
Mr Queen (Viki)⭐️
Mr Sunshine (Netflix)
Pachinko (AppleTV)
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (Netflix)
Tale of Nokdu (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
The King’s Affection (Netflix)
The Red Sleeve (Viki)⭐️

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Business Proposal (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Dali & the Cocky Prince (Viki)
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)⭐️
Gogh, The Starry Night (Viki)

Happy Once Again (Netflix)
Her Private Life (Viki)⭐️
His Master’s Sun (Netflix)
Hometown Cha Cha Cha (Viki)⭐️
Love from a Star (Netflix)⭐️
Lovestruck in the City (Netflix)
Monthly Magazine Home (Viki)
Pinocchio (Netflix)
Radio Romance (Netflix)

Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)⭐️
Run On (Netflix)

She Was Pretty (Netflix)⭐️
The Beauty Inside (Viki/Netflix)
The Secret Life of My Secretary (Viki/Netflix)
Thirty Not Seventeen (Viki) or as Still 17 (Netflix)
To My Star [BL] (Viki)
True Beauty (Viki)
Twenty-five Twenty-one (Netflix)⭐️
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (Netflix/Viki)

What’s Up With Secretary Kim (Viki)⭐️
Where Stars Land (Viki)⭐️
You are my Destiny (Netflix)
You Make Me Dance [BL] (Viki)
Yumi’s Cells (Viki)


Romance - heavier weight/more grown up themes
Another Miss Oh (Netflix)⭐️
Because This Is My First Life (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
Chicago Typewriter (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
Crash Landing on You (Netflix)⭐️
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
Doom At Your Service (Viki)
Fight For My Way (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
Go Back Couple (Viki)/Couple on the Backtrack (Netflix)
I’ll Go To You When The Weather is Nice (Viki)
It’s OK Not To Be OK (Netflix)
Just Between Lovers (Viki)/Rain or Shine (Netflix)⭐️
Mad For Each Other (Netflix)⭐️
Melo is my Nature (Viki)/Be Melodramatic (other sites)⭐️
My Strange Hero (Viki)
One Spring Night (Netflix)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Romantic Dr Kim - seasons 1&2 (Viki)
Search: WWW (Viki, Netflix)⭐️
Something in the Rain (Netflix)
The Handmaid (film, Netflix - content warning: explicit sexual content)
The Package (Viki)

Straighter ‘Slice of Life’ dramas on universal themes
Hospital Playlist (Netflix)⭐️
Hospital Playlist 2 (Netflix)⭐️
Into The Ring (Viki)
Itaewon Class (Netflix)
Live (Netflix)
Misaeng (Netflix)⭐️
Move to Heaven (Netflix)
My Mister (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
My Unfamiliar Family (Viki)⭐️
Navillera (Netflix)⭐️
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*
On The Verge of Insanity (Viki)
Once Again (Viki)
Stove League (Viki)/Hot Stove League (Netflix)
Racket Boys (Netflix)
Would You Like a Cup of Coffee (Viki)⭐️

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - lighter & fluffier
Extraordinary You (Netflix)
Goblin (Viki)⭐️
I am not a Robot (Netflix)
Legend of the Blue Sea (Viki/Netflix)
Kiss Goblin (Viki, webdrama)
My Holo Love (Netflix)⭐️
Orange Marmalade (Netflix)
While You Were Sleeping (Viki)⭐️
Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - darker/more grown up themes
#Alive (Netflix)
Black (Netflix)⭐️
Happiness (Viki)⭐️
Hotel del Luna (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
King: The Eternal Monarch (Netflix)
Kingdom (Netflix)⭐️
Kingdom: Ashin of the North (Netflix)
Mystic Pop-up Bar (Netflix)
Peninsula - film, Train to Busan sequel (Amazon Prime, iMovies)
Sisyphus (Netflix)
The Guest (Netflix)
Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)

W: Two Worlds (Viki & Netflix)⭐️
Zombie Detective (Viki/Netflix)

Guilty Pleasures (for the joy, not the quality)
Bride of Habaek (Netflix)
Hwarang (Viki/Netflix)
My Secret Romance (Viki)
The Last Empress (Viki/Netflix)
Sassy Go Go (Netflix)


Mad as a box of frogs/uncategorisable
Strong Girl Bong Soon (Netflix)
School Nurse Files (Netflix)

Not Korean ‘You May Also Like’
Regulars also branch out into Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese drama. The Chinese & Taiwanese stuff is much more variable quality-wise, so we’ve noted anything decent here:

Before We Get Married (Viki - Taiwanese)
Find Yourself (Netflix - Chinese)
Go Go Squid (Viki - Chinese)
In House Marriage Honey (Viki, Japanese)
In Time With You (Viki - Japanese)
Instead of Tipsy Why Not Get Drunk (Viki, Chinese)
Lost Romance (Viki, Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki, Chinese)
Million Yen Women (Netflix, Japanese)
Morning Call (Netflix, Japanese)
My Little Happiness (Viki, Chinese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix, Chinese)
Rinko Wants To Try (Viki)
Some Day or One Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
To Fly with Me (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)
You Are My Hero (Viki, Chinese)*

AVOID aka “the shit list” 💩

Melting Me Softly
The Birth of a Beauty
Well-Intentioned Love season 1 (S2 is fine & stands alone)

Posters’ Top Scoring 2021 Dramas
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

1. The Red Sleeve - 10
2. Happiness - 9
3. Devil Judge - 8.75
4. Squid Game - 8.63
5. Navillera - 8.57

2020’s top scoring dramas
1 - Mr Queen - 9.4
2 - Parasite - 9.05
3 - It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88
4 - The Uncanny Counter - 8.50
5 - Once Again - 8.42

2019’s top scoring dramas:

1. Her Private Life - 9.40
2. Melo is My Nature - 9.00

3.= Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75

1. Hotel del Luna - 8.50

5.= Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17

We are generally fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean cookery, language, film and music when the mood takes us. A few of us are learning Korean, Japanese and/or Mandarin (some more diligently than others admittedly), so we swap tips and links to language resources. Basically, anything topical goes.

We sometimes resort to acronyms and/or abbreviations of show titles or favourite actors’ names. Don’t be afraid to ask for help/clues if we’re not making sense or have descended into acronym soup.

If you want to join us down the kdrama rabbit hole, welcome! Pull up a chair, say goodbye to early nights and get stuck in!

Thoughts and prayers and bicarb of soda to absorb the smell Boaty 😔

I am heading out to the gym now. I’ve mopped the worst of it up but it stinks! My hands smell. 😩

There’s also a mouse loose somewhere in our kitchen. DS told me when I got home last night. Our silly cat brought it in. I asked: “did you try to catch it? Did Dad try to find it?” Blank expression. “No.” Plague of locusts next, I reckon.

Thoughts and prayers, Boaty

If only it were easy to drag you fridge into the back garden and pressure wash it, eh Boaty?

Ooh bad luck Boaty! Thoughts and prayers 😬

I entirely blame the husband. Give him the cold shoulder.

Oh I’m sorry Boaty. Yes it’s a very pungent smell.

@Boaty My fridge smells dodgy enough with multiple banchan stored safely in several layers of plastic 😂. Good grief I can only imagine what it's like in escaped form 😱

I just watched the Festa dinner. Aww those poor guys had had enough. They were weary, and so clearly ready for something different. I think in their position it's quite remarkable to have that capacity for self-reflection. Disappointing as it may be for some of us on a personal level (and I include myself there, having moved from 'I'm not bothered about seeing them to live and I hate stadiums anyway' to 'how quickly can I sell [insert name of family member]'s soul to get VIP tickets?' in mere weeks), I applaud their decision. I hope they are enjoying some R & R now, and get to explore all the things they want to in the coming months.

That’s next on my list after Our Blues, which I’m enjoying immensely!

Be still, my beating heart! 💜

Exactly @Saram13 ... i'm so thankful that they have the sense to know when to step away and know for Bangtan to continue they need to have a little space. Namjoon looked gutted and soooo tired... It's good they are prioritisng their own well being and stop worrying about ARMY! We'll be fine!... Now I'll have to follow 7 Scedules!!!! sigh! 😬Also interesting to see on twitter today that HYBE ceo has sent out an email to all employees about the break to reassure and counteract some of the hysteria "They're breaking up!!!! 😱"

Also good to see the sensible journalist and devout ARMY Kim Young Dae addressing their announcement in KMedia... from Twitter.... "Just know that he very clearly explained that this solo activity announcement was very bts like, refreshing and a necessary part for their growth as artist both individually and as a group. And that this is not by any means an indicator that they will break up.
He also brought up how this might be ideal if they are going into the military. And said how he found so surprising how they brought this up so naturally because that's not really what happens in the industry and how very bts like this announcement was."

Anyway... I'm still a little forlorn over it all as I feel like I was just getting started!!!!... although I feel like i've been ARMY forever Covid has taken a lot of my ARMY Time... and to make it worse... I know how good Wembley was... I have never had sooo much gay unabandoned fun and i was so looking forward to repeating the experience... looks like I'll just have to wait a little longer....💜

JK on VLive now.... 😁
"since there was all a mess about we're disbanding and what not..
we're not disbanding guys, there's still a lot of things we need to do as a group. BTS is forever"
"I woke up and saw stuff like "BTS hiatus" "BTS disband" and it was all a mess, so I came to clear up some stuff"...
😍

Awwww! 💜😍

Are BTS doing military service or not?
I’ve tried looking on google but I can only find speculation.

So far, yes they are. There have been noises made about exemptions, but it's a big publicity coup for the SK govt for them to go and they themselves have said they will do their duty.

Jin and Suga are due first up (Jin is 30 in Dec), but given Suga's shoulder injury and Jin's hand surgery from earlier this year, it is unlikely either will see active duty.

Someone up thread said Jungkook might go in at same time, I think that's a good shout. He'll have to take all his piercings out, but I wonder if copious tattoos will be a problem?

If you look up some of the early 30s kdrama actors, quite a few of them have done their basic training, then switched to something like army PR, entertainments officer, or those civil support roles that medics, dentist etc get sent to in rural areas where it’s challenging to maintain local infrastructure (drawing heavily on Hospital Ship here folks 😉).

FedUp & Boaty - ah, ok.
I suppose the problem with exempting BTS is that which other actors and idols are famous enough to be exempted and which aren’t.

Not saying I'm a stalker but...
Pretty sure Hooyeony off of Squid Game is currently staying in same apartments that PSJ stayed in in Camden. She's been there a couple of weeks so guessing she's also filming for Marvel thing or similar.

Yes Pol! Top Unni Sleuthing!!

Someone up thread said Jungkook might go in at same time, I think that's a good shout. He'll have to take all his piercings out, but I wonder if copious tattoos will be a problem?

Looks like his tattoos won't be a problem Briiiiick

m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20201201000718

Good stalking observation there Pol

He'll be the poster boy for SK military strength. The Golden Maknae will be Captain Korea 😁

Jungkook setting the record straight about mattresses and air purifiers too! And millions of people watching him do the washing up 😂

I just hope when they do get back to releasing music together again their schedules can be eased up on. The amount of content they produce is insane. Hopefully with the h*** certain elements of the fandom will get used to less content and be less demanding.

I'm so befuddled now I can't remember whether I finished Sh**ting Stars or not. Early night for me!

Alchemy of Souls starts this weekend, something to look forward to, hurrah.

Ahh Mumsnet is being super slow for me the last few days!!! 🤬
I keep losing posts when I try and post them.
I'm on the desktop/mobile version in chrome on my phone. It's usually ok.
Is the app better?? Anyone else having problems?

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap God, it has been dreadful lately. I was having problems a few days ago, one evening, I kept getting a gateway message, the site not loading at all, really frustrating. After that, it seems to have got a bit better. I have had the most trouble when I have been on my laptop. Hopefully things will get a bit better for you soon.